North America

The European powers accused Russia on Thursday of assisting Iran in targeting U.S. troops in the Middle East War and said that they would bring the matter up with the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a G7 meeting of 'foreign' ministers in France. Rubio will attend the second day gathering of Western Democracies ministers. This is taking place in the midst of wars with Iran and Ukraine, uncertainty over the economy and growing unease about the unpredictable U.S. Foreign Policy under Donald Trump. Two Western security officials and a regional official near Tehran have confirmed that Russia provided...

Sources said that if Congress fails to reach a deal to resolve the security staff shortages which have caused airports to be clogged, President Donald Trump may take 'executive action' to pay 50,000 airport'security officers. Homeland Security Department reported that nearly 500 airport security guards have quit since February's partial shutdown. A dispute between Congress and the Transportation Security Administration over funding has forced the Transportation Security Administration to work without pay. Two congressional sources confirmed that Trump was considering various actions to pay airport employees. However, it is unclear for how long he will be able pay TSA payrolls...

Two sources who have direct knowledge of this matter confirmed that the Italian tax police had searched the offices of several state-linked organizations and 'companies as well as an executive's office in Rome, as part of an investigation into the public IT procurement contracts. Sources said that the investigation is an extension of the 2024 probe, which was launched into Sogei (the Treasury's IT firm) in order to investigate a alleged scheme of rigging IT procurement contracts by creating slush fund. The company, Polo Strategico Nazionale, manages cloud infrastructures for the public sector. Sources said that police had also entered...

Black smoke, burning tracks and blazing trains The footage posted by Ukrainian fighters online documents their repeated sabotage attack on a vast rail system being constructed by Russia in the occupied territory of Ukraine. Their efforts aren't enough to stop the rapid industrial expansion of Moscow. Orest, a Ukrainian fighter operating behind enemy lines, in the Donetsk Region, uses his military call sign for reasons of security. He said that the railroad was hundreds of kilometers long. "We're not all-powerful, unfortunately." According to the Kremlin these occupied areas represent "Novorossiya", New Russia. It's a hive of activity. A new investigation...

The operator of the ports said that a tropical cyclone had struck the Pilbara region off the coast, causing the closure of key iron ore and LNG ports. Pilbara Ports reported that operations were shut down at the ports of Ashburton and Cape Preston West as well as Dampier and Varanus Island due to strong gales caused by Tropical cyclone Narelle. This system is a category 3. The operator stated that the forecast indicated category 4 by the afternoon of Thursday. Chevron and Mineral Resources use the Port of Ashburton for exports. Rio Tinto is a major user for iron...

Executives said that Kuwait's?Jazeera Airways will offer 200,000?seats this April, which is about 40% of its pre-war network. The airline plans to?rebuild the operations?disrupted?by the U.S./Israeli war against Iran. In its fourth week of fighting, the war has claimed more than 2,000 lives, shattered global markets and led to Iranian strikes which have effectively'shut down' the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global air traffic. Kuwait's airspace was closed when the conflict started on February 28. Its international airport and surrounding areas were targeted multiple times, prompting Jazeera?to shift its operations to Saudi Arabia. On March 11, the airline began transporting passengers...

Aer Lingus' chief executive warned on Wednesday that there is a "serious" risk the U.S. could take retaliation and limit its number of transatlantic flights, if the Dublin Airport passenger cap was not?quickly?removed. The Irish government pledged that it would pass a new law before the summer, lifting the 32 million passengers-per-year limit currently suspended in anticipation of a European Court decision. Last year, the airport exceeded its limit by four million passengers. Airlines for America, a U.S. trade group for the industry, filed a complaint in January with the U.S. Department of Transportation accusing Ireland of violating the EU-U.S....

After the U.S. and Israeli air strikes on?Iran are over, a new competition is likely to begin: the race for contracts to repair damaged oil and gasoline infrastructure and to restore?shipping routes - and influence – across the Middle East. The destruction does not stop in Iran. Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, warned that at least 40 energy assets in nine Middle Eastern countries have been "severely" or "very severely" damaged. Oil and gas fields, refineries, and pipelines will all take time to be repaired, he said. The crisis is worse than both oil shocks in the...

Openreach, a BT-owned network provider, said that it has 'expanded' its partnership with Google Cloud to use artificial intelligence in order to speed up fusing broadband and reduce emissions from one of Britain’s largest commercial vehicles fleets. Openreach runs the largest broadband network in the UK. The partnership was first reported by and uses Alphabet's Google data tools to analyse routes, idling, and fault patterns on its 24,000 van fleet. This covers over 200 million miles (322 millions km) per year. James Tappenden said that Openreach's managing director, James Tappenden, was able to see measurable and practical benefits by applying...

A U.S. Judge on Tuesday ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to temporarily unfreeze approximately $3 billion in funding in Chicago for rail projects. On Friday, the?Chicago Transit Authority filed a lawsuit against?the U.S. Transportation Department's Federal?Transit Administration. The suit claimed that federal officials had refused to reimburse at least $9.5 millions in grants approved by former Democratic President Joe Biden. The city called the funding suspension a political act of retaliation. U.S. district judge Thomas Durkin granted CTA's request to issue a temporary restraining?order?to demand the funding, but put his decision on hold until this Friday in order to give...

Since the beginning of the partial government shutdown on February 14, more than 450 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers have resigned, causing massive delays at?U.S. airports. The Department of Homeland Security announced on Tuesday that massive delays have occurred at airports across the United States. Around 50,000 TSA agents are not being paid and will miss their second full pay on Friday. On Monday, hundreds of U.S. Immigration agents and Homeland Security Investigations officers deployed to 14 U.S. Airports in order to assist with?security screening. This includes airports that have seen wait times exceeding three or four hours. DHS reported...

After the videos went viral, local officials in California condemned the detention of a woman?crying at the San Francisco International Airport by federal officers on Sunday. A video posted on Monday by an NBC affiliate showed a woman wailing and crying as she was restrained. Her daughter was seen crying and watching as officers held her down. Scott Wiener (Democrat) said that the incident proved that federal actions brought nothing but chaos and fear. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is also a Democrat. He said that what happened was "upsetting." U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency,...

The U.S. The U.S. USPS needs the Postal Regulatory Commission's approval for this temporary price increase. The surcharge, it said, will be a "bridge" to a permanent mechanism that will reflect the market conditions for prices of competitive products. This comes as USPS warned they could run out money as early as October. The increase will not affect first-class stamps. USPS reported that FedEx and UPS have imposed fuel surcharges between 25% and 28% on ground and air delivery since the beginning of the 'Iran War. This is due to the sharp increase in oil prices, including a rise in...

The union reported that United Parcel Service informed the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Tuesday of its decision to withdraw their latest "driver buyout" scheme in the central region states. The decision comes after the delivery giant announced that it would proceed with its plan to?offer $150,000 buyout packages for its drivers, after a federal judge rejected the union’s bid to stop?its workforce cutting program based on concerns about contract violations. Teamsters sued UPS on February 9 for its January 27 announcement that it would cut up to 30 000 jobs and close 24 facilities in order to move away...

FedEx announced on Tuesday that it had launched a same-day delivery service in partnership with the last-mile software company OneRail. FedEx SameDay Local allows customers to choose from a variety of delivery options, such as two-hour and end-of-day windows. FedEx claims to link 'customers with a nationwide network of over?1,000 delivery providers via a system which matches orders and drivers. This?move is a result of?companies in the sector investing in faster fulfillment and a stronger last-mile network to meet increasing customer demand for quicker, more flexible deliveries. Amazon has expanded its fast delivery options earlier this month by launching one-hour...

Authorities said that an Air Canada Express plane collided with fire truck as it landed?at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, killing the two pilots and injuring dozens. The airport was closed. Jazz Aviation (owned by Chorus Aviation) said that the Air Canada Express CRJ900 aircraft, operated by 'its regional partner Jazz Aviation', had departed Montreal with 72 passengers and 4 crew members. Jazz and Port Authority of New York & New Jersey confirmed the deaths of the pilot and his first officer. A partial government shutdown has caused delays, long security queues and increased safety concerns at airports...

Costco Wholesale has been sued in a nationwide class action on Wednesday, seeking refunds to U.S. 'customers for higher prices charged. A Costco shopper filed a lawsuit in federal court, Illinois, seeking a declaration that any refunds received by the company for tariffs paid under the International 'Emergency Economic powers Act (IEEPA) must be returned to the customers. The Supreme Court ruled that Trump overstepped his authority when he used the emergency powers act to impose tariffs on a large scale last year. The order has set up a sprawling litigation at the U.S. Court of International Trade where more...

The White House announced on Monday that it had terminated Todd Inman, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board. This was after reports were received about his inappropriate behavior and failure to attend meetings. White?House spokesman Kush?Desai?said?Inman's removal from the NTSB was legal after receiving "highly concerning reports" of inappropriate alcohol consumption on the job. He also received reports of harassment of staff and misuse of government resources. Inman has categorically denied all allegations contained in the White House Statement. It has become increasingly apparent that this was a political hit-job. Inman stated that, "While not my original intention?...

On 'Sunday, a Republican member of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board claimed that he had been fired by the White House on Friday without explanation. Todd Inman was a former chief staffer to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in President Donald Trump's initial term. He had been a member of the NTSB from April 2024. Inman was the board member on the scene at the American Airlines collision with an Army helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport in January 2025 that 'killed 67 persons and the November crash of the UPS cargo plane taking off from the Louisville, Kentucky airport...

A customs official stated in a Friday court filing that the U.S. Customs Agency is preparing a system to refund tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, which were ruled illegal. Brandon Lord, a Customs and Border Protection officer, made the declaration as government lawyers and a federal trade court met to try and hammer out an agreement for the return of $166 billion worth of tariff payments to 330,000 importers. Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump's tariffs were unconstitutional. The Supreme Court, however, did not specify how tariffs collected should be refunded. This left'small importers' worried...

DHL's chief executive said he would continue to accept delivery orders for the Middle East, but warned that there could be delays. Tobias Meyer, CEO of German logistics group DHL, said that the escalation in the U.S. - Iran war has an impact on the entire region. This includes deliveries to Israel, which are currently being sent via Cyprus. Meyer said that DHL is still committed to its Middle East?investment plan. He said that "these?are long term investments?and are of the opinion the region is still appealing." As the conflict enters its sixth day, logistics and shipping companies face increasing...

DHL's 2026 outlook is more cautious than analysts' expectations. A 'weak macroeconomic' backdrop weighs heavily on DHL's prospects. The shares of the German logistic group were down 3% at 0919 GMT, and ranked last on the blue-chip index of the country. DHL anticipates that its earnings will exceed 6.2 billion euro ($7.2 billion) this year. This is after it reported an operating profit for '2025 of 6.1 billion euro. According to a consensus provided by the company, EBIT was expected to be slightly lower than analysts' average expectations. Tobias Meyer, CEO of Tobias Meyer Group, said that there is "significant...

DHL, the German logistics company, forecast on Thursday a "higher operating income for 2026" that was in line with market expectations despite deteriorating geopolitical conditions. The company expects earnings before interest and taxes to exceed 6.2 billion euros ($7.2 billion) after reporting 6.1 million euros last year. The free cash flow, excluding acquisitions, should be in the range of 3 billion euros. The company provided a consensus that showed both targets were in line with analysts' average predictions. Tobias Meyer, CEO of Tobias Meyer & Co. said that there is "significant geopolitical uncertainty and volatility out there" as was evident...

The U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner said in an interview that the Postal Service will hire restructuring advisers to address its mounting financial problems. In December, we reported that Steiner believed the Postal Service would run out of cash as soon as 2027. USPS reported net losses of approximately $120 billion between 2007 and now as the volume of first-class mail has dropped to its lowest level since late 1960s. Steiner stated that USPS engaged consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal to assist with planning for any scenario. Steiner said on Thursday that if we don't change anything, "we will run...